Briab secures The Forest in Dubai

Photo: Shutterstock

Expo 2020 and Covid-19

Due to the epidemic, Expo 2020 has been delayed for one year, with the opening scheduled for October, 2021.
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Coordination and interpretation of fire protection work

Briab has been part of the Swedish design group that is working with the architects, Alessandro Ripellino Arkitekter, Studio Adrien Gardère and Luigi Pardo Architetti. In its work with The Forest, Briab has collaborated with local fire protection consultants in Dubai, where part of the challenge has been – and still is – to interpret the local regulations, which has not always been easy.

Alessandro Rippelino talks about The Forest here

Click the image below and you’ll get a short film about the Swedish pavilion (You’ll need to scroll down al little bit to see the film and the start button)

The Forest
Photo: Alessandro Ripellino Arkitekter/Studio Adrien Gardère/Luigi Pardo Architetti

Team Briab

At Briab, the experienced team consists primarily of Therese Salomonsson and Fredrik Hiort. Naturally, they are supported by the vast expertise and commitment offered by Briab in its entirety.

Therese summarizes the experience:
“Having grown up in the north of Sweden, with forest right outside the window, it has been lots of fun to be part of designing a pavilion that takes inspiration from the Swedish forests. But it has been a challenge to get approval for a building made of wood in a part of the world where they are not used to wood as a construction material. Done right, with a sound fire safety strategy and choice of fire protection we know we can create safe timber buildings. In many parts of the world, it’s the traditional approval processes that prevent innovative safety approaches.”

Briab official sponsor

Briab is also official sponsor, since Briab Products & Solutions, which works in knowledge and system solutions in evacuation, supplies the Swedish pavilion with emergency and evacuation lighting.

”We’re delighted to have the opportunity to assist in this major Swedish export initiative, providing benefits to our entire business sector. We’re all a bit proud of The Forest of course, but also of the fact that our products and our knowledge are contributing to everyone’s safety on site”, says Kenneth Lodeklint, Business Area Manager at Briab Products & Solutions.

Expo 2020

Expo 2020 in Dubai opens in October 2021 and will remain open for 173 days. With more than 60 live events per day and an estimated attendance of more than 150,000 visitors per day, it will be a fantastic setting for taking in the world, as well as for showcasing Sweden.

”Sweden’s participation at Expo 2020 will give Swedish companies a chance to reach potential customers not only in the Gulf region but in the entire world. At Expo 2020, Swedish companies will be able to show off their world-leading sustainability solutions and fantastic innovative skills”, says Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde.

More on the way

The theme for Expo 2020 is “Connecting minds, creating the future”, and the Swedish pavilion The Forest is located in the area with the main theme Sustainability. In other words, there will be lots of interesting, exciting things to tell that match perfectly with our focus at Briab: timber construction, new and smart ways to build and fire-protect, input from other exhibitors, and not least, all the planned and unplanned meetings with people and ideas at the venue.